''Sing Boy Sing'' is a 1958 musical–drama film released by 20th Century-Fox and starring newcomers Tommy Sands and

Lili Gentle Lili Gentle (born Lillie Charlene Gentle; March 4, 1940) is a former American film and television actress. Biography Born Lillie Charlene Gentle in Montgomery, Alabama, she later changed the spelling of her first name to "Lili". As a child, bot ...

. The film was an expansion of the January 1957 '' Kraft Television Theatre'' episode "The Singin' Idol," also starring Sands, who was billed by the studio as a new

teen idol A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups. By region Asia East Asia possess ...

and plays an

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

-type singer. The film was Gentle's only starring role, and her penultimate film appearance. 20th Century-Fox had plans to promote her as its new dashing

redhead Red hair (also known as orange hair and ginger hair) is a hair color found in one to two percent of the human population, appearing with greater frequency (two to six percent) among people of Northern or Northwestern European ancestry and ...

, but suitable roles for her did not materialize. ''Sing, Boy, Sing'' was released in the United States in February 1958 to positive reviews, but performed poorly at the box office, though it did find some popularity with teenage audiences. Sands' soundtrack of songs from the film was released in 1958 and produced a #24 hit on the '' Billboard'' singles chart with the title song.

Plot

Virgil Walker is a popular singing star. His manager Joseph Sharkey keeps tight control over Walker's life.

Cast

* Tommy Sands as Virgil Walker *

as Leora Easton *

Edmond O'Brien Eamon Joseph O'Brien (September 10, 1915 – May 9, 1985) was an American actor and film director. His career spanned almost 40 years, and he won one Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. O'Brien w ...

as Joseph Sharkey * Nick Adams as C.K. Judd *

John McIntire John Herrick McIntire (June 27, 1907 – January 30, 1991) was an American character actor who appeared in 65 theatrical films and many television series. McIntire is well known for having replaced Ward Bond, upon Bond's sudden death in Novem ...

as Rev. Farley Walker *

Diane Jergens Diane Jergens (born Dianne Irgens; March 31, 1935 – October 9, 2018) was an American film and television actress. Early years Jergens was the daughter of Norman C. Irgens, an alderman in Minneapolis, and his wife. In 1944, at age 8, she au ...

as Pat Barry *

Josephine Hutchinson Josephine Hutchinson (October 12, 1903 – June 4, 1998) was an American actress. She acted in several theater plays and films. Early years Hutchinson was born in Seattle, Washington. Her mother, Leona Roberts, was an actress best known for ...

as Caroline Walker *

Jerry Paris William Gerald Paris (July 25, 1925 – March 31, 1986) was an American actor and director best known for playing Jerry Helper, the dentist and next-door neighbor of Rob and Laura Petrie, on ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'', and for directing the majo ...

as Arnold Fisher *Tami Conner as Ginnie *

Regis Toomey John Francis Regis Toomey (August 13, 1898October 12, 1991) was an American film and television actor. Early life Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey, and attended Peabody High ...

as Rev. Easton *Art Ford as Disc Jockey *

Bill Randle Bill Randle (March 14, 1923 – July 9, 2004) was an American disc jockey, lawyer and university professor. Randle was born William McKinley Randle Jr. in Detroit, Michigan. In Detroit, he hosted a popular show on WJLB-AM radio (now WDTK) calle ...

as Disc Jockey *Biff Collie as Disc Jockey

Sources

The film was based on the January 1957 '' Kraft Television Theatre'' episode "The Singin' Idol," which drew heavily on ''

The Jazz Singer ''The Jazz Singer'' is a 1927 American musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland. It is the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music score as well as lip-synchronous singing and speech (in several isolate ...

''. In the television program, which also stars Tommy Sands, but with the lead character's first name as Elwell rather than Virgil (as in the film), Walker is a singing star under the control of his manager. He visits his hometown where he reconnects with a childhood sweetheart. His ill father, a reverend, dies after pleading for Elwell to become a preacher, and Elwell is tempted to return home and follow in his father's footsteps, but his manager dissuades him. The television program's script was written by

Paul Monash Paul Monash (June 14, 1917 – January 14, 2003) was an American television and film producer and screenwriter. Life and career Paul Monash was born in Harlem, New York, in 1917, and grew up in The Bronx. His mother, Rhoda Melrose, acted in si ...

and was based on the life of

. Sands had been discovered by Presley's manager

Colonel Tom Parker Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 January 21, 1997),

, and Sands had toured with Presley. Parker helped Sands land lead role, which turned Sands into a star overnight. He received eight times more fan mail than any had other actor who had appeared on a ''Kraft Television Theatre'' episode. Sands later said: "Colonel Parker was the best thing that ever happened to me." Songs performed on the show included "Hep Dee Hootie", "Rock of Ages" and "

Teen-Age Crush "Teen-Age Crush" is a song written by Audrey Allison and Joe Allison and performed by Tommy Sands (American singer), Tommy Sands. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, U.S. pop chart and #10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, U.S. R&B chart in 1957. ...

," which reached #2 on the ''Billboard'' singles chart and sold over a million copies.

Production

20th Century-Fox had enjoyed success with films starring Elvis Presley and

Pat Boone Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer and actor. He was a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He sold more than 45 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and appeared in mo ...

. In February 1957, the studio bought the film rights, and in July Sands signed on to appear in the film.

Henry Ephron Henry Ephron (May 26, 1911 – September 6, 1992) was an American playwright, screenwriter and film producer who often worked with his wife, Phoebe (née Wolkind). He was active as a writer from the early 1940s through the early 1960s. Ea ...

was assigned to produce. Ephron said that

Claude Binyon Claude Binyon (October 17, 1905 Chicago, Illinois – February 14, 1978 Glendale, California) was a screenwriter and director. His genres were comedy, musicals, and romances. As a Chicago-based journalist for the ''Examiner'' newspaper, he be ...

had written "a first-rate script" that "could be made at a price." He approached

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

about the part of the manager. Welles was enthusiastic and also wanted to direct the film. He explained his ideas to Ephron, who thought that they were "electric," and pitched the idea of Welles directing to the executives at Fox.

Spyros Skouras Spyros Panagiotis Skouras (; gr, Σπύρος Σκούρας; March 28, 1893 – August 16, 1971) was a Greek-American motion picture pioneer and film executive who was the president of 20th Century-Fox from 1942 to 1962. He resigned June 27, 19 ...

said that Ephron could have Welles if he personally guaranteed any cost overruns that Welles might incur. However, Ephron directed the film himself. Filming began in September 1957. Sands' costar was

, a Fox contract player who had appeared in ''

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? ''Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?'' is a 1957 American satirical comedy film starring Jayne Mansfield and Tony Randall, with Betsy Drake, Joan Blondell, John Williams, Henry Jones, Lili Gentle, and Mickey Hargitay, and with a cameo by Groucho M ...

''. Sands cowrote some of the film's musical numbers.

Reception

20th Century-Fox head

Buddy Adler E. Maurice "Buddy" Adler (June 22, 1906 – July 12, 1960) was an American film producer and production head for 20th Century Fox studios. In 1954, his production of ''From Here to Eternity'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture and in 1956, hi ...

was reportedly so excited by a preview of the film that he signed a new contract with Sands, tripling his salary. The film opened at the Metropolitan Theatre in Houston, Texas on February 5, 1958 but was pulled two days later because of poor attendance. The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'' wrote that the film was "several cuts above average" and that the "real surprise package" was Sands: " 's going to be a very competent actor; he already has verve, presence."

References

External links

* * * *{{IMDb title, 0622624, The Singin' Idol 1958 films 1958 directorial debut films 1958 drama films 1950s English-language films 1950s musical drama films 20th Century Fox films American musical drama films American rock musicals Films based on television plays Films scored by Lionel Newman 1950s American films